County teams look good in scrimmages

Since it’s only a scrimmage and the game does not count sometimes you can’t tell if it’s a good measuring stick or not for your team.

Teams usually substitute liberally and starters are often taken out after a few series.

Everyone plays.

Even the freshmen and JV players.

But if you are a Logan County football fan of the Logan Wildcats, Chapmanville Regional Tigers or the Man Hillbillies you probably liked what you saw over the weekend.

All three teams looked pretty good on Saturday as the three high school squads played in their first of two preseason games.

Logan opens the 2013 high school season at Man on Aug. 30, while Chapmanville hosts Sissonville the same night in a Cardinal Conference contest.

On Saturday, Chapmanville travelled to Mingo Central’s Buck Harless Stadium to take on the Poca Dots in the inaugural Cardinal Conference Gridorama. Logan hosted Tug Valley, while Man went to Charleston to battle with Class AAA George Washington.

The Tigers’ defense held firm against Poca in the first three sets of 10 downs in a battle of the two team’s starters. Chapmanville’s defensive line was able to penetrate Poca’s front six, harassing the Dots’ quarterback on a number of occasions.

Chapmanville’s offense, led by sophomore starting quarterback Alex Berry, moved the ball quite well with a few nice runs by tailback Devin Wiley.

Wiley appeared to score a touchdown on Chapmanville’s first possession but fumbled the ball away before breaking the goal line plain. Wiley got redemption on the third possession with a 5-yard touchdown run. The PAT sailed wide right as Chapmanville led 6-0.

Berry also completed a pair of passes each to wide receivers Brady Cox and Zac Casto early on in the scrimmage.

Chapmanville coach George Barker also inserted Jordan Toler in at quarterback. The speedy Toler, a newcomer to the team this fall, ran for a nice 15-yard keeper after taking a direct snap.

Logan also had success in its preseason game with Class A Tug Valley on Saturday night.

The Triple-A Wildcats struck gold on the very first play from scrimmage as quarterback Ryan Miller dropped back and fired a 70-yard bomb to a wide open Josh Rein for an easy touchdown.

Logan wasn’t done and still had nine more plays in its 10-play possession.

Miller connected with Rein on another 35-yard pass play and later ran in for a 7-yard touchdown to the left side.

On Logan’s second possession, freshman quarterback Noah Corbett was put in under center to see what he could do. Corbett also found pay dirt with a 65-yard touchdown run against the Panthers, an 8-3 Class A playoff team from last year.

Man also held its own in its scrimmage on Saturday against a very tough GW Patriots team. The Billies have scrimmaged GW for years.

All three county teams are scheduled to close out preseason play this week.

Chapmanville is slated to travel to Hamlin on Saturday to take on the Class AAA Lincoln County Panthers. Logan heads to Ravenswood on Saturday to play both the Ravenswood Red Devils and the Herbert Hoover Huskies. Man is slated to play on Saturday in the Midland Trail Gridorama.

Also on Saturday at Mingo Central the other six Cardinal Conference teams played in the gridorama.

Game 2 pitted Tolsia against Sissonville. Two-time defending Class AA state champion Wayne played Scott in Game 3. The finale had the host Mingo Central Miners taking on the Herbert Hoover Huskies.